Derek Hill single-handedly manufactured Miami’s third walk-off win in the first four games of the season Sunday afternoon via an infield single, stolen base, throwing error and wild pitch, giving the Marlins a 3-2 victory and 3-1 series triumph over the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates.
In a game that featured Andrew McCutchen homering for a 17th consecutive season, the Marlins stunned Pirates two-time All-Star closer David Bednar (0-2) for the game-winner in the last of the ninth for the second time in the series. The other walk-off win, which occurred Saturday, came in the 12th.
Hill beat out his inning-opening grounder toward third base, then took off on Bednar’s second pitch to Nick Fortes, making third on an errant throw by catcher Endy Rodriguez.
Two pitches later, Bednar’s splitter in the dirt got away from Rodriguez, allowing Hill to scamper home with the game-winner.
Anthony Bender (1-0), who worked around a leadoff walk in the top of the ninth, was credited with the win.
In a series in which all four games were decided by one run, the teams traded tallies for the first seven innings, with the Pirates scoring once each in the second and fifth, and the Marlins matching with single runs in the last of the second and seventh.
McCutchen’s homer, a solo shot, opened the scoring after Marlins right-hander Max Meyer had retired the Pirates in order in the first. It was the 320th of the 38-year-old’s career, ninth-most among active players.
After Fortes’ RBI double off Pirates starter Andrew Heaney got the Marlins even in the bottom of the inning, the Pirates went up again in the fifth, benefitting from a two-out throwing error by Miami first baseman Eric Wagaman. Isiah Kiner-Falefa’s infield single plated Rodriguez with the run.
But, again, the Marlins got the run back, this time on a two-out solo home run by Griffin Conine, his first of the season and fourth of his two-year career. The blast came off the Pirates’ third pitcher, Colin Holderman.
Neither starting pitcher got a decision. Heaney allowed just one run and four hits in five innings with one walk and two strikeouts, while Meyer worked 5 2/3 innings, giving up two runs (one earned) and five hits. He struck out seven and walked one.
Hill scored two of Miami’s three runs, and Wagaman was the only player in the game with multiple hits, a pair of singles. The Marlins out-hit the visitors 7-5.
